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Science & Technology

Operation Pollination

Science in the Garden

Apply scientific thinking to explore the intriguing world of plant and animal life in this interactive program highlighting living organisms, life cycles and systems.

Discover the connection of living systems and investigate why and how flowering plants have developed with their pollinator partners. Gain an appreciation of this delicate relationship by identifying adaptations of plants and pollinators.

K-2: Students learn about different types of pollinators as they hunt for them in the Garden. They learn about the parts of a flower used in pollination as they create a pollinator and try to pollinate a flower.

3-5: Students will identify parts of a flower used in pollination. Students discover the process of pollination while observing and recording various pollinators at work. Students will have an opportunity to compete in a pollination game.

6-8: Students will dissect flowers to identify flower parts used in pollination. Activities will enable students to discover how human impact plays a role in the pollinators’ survival and how our relationship is mutually beneficial.

Standard: K-8-LS4. Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Life Circles

Life Science in the Garden

Trace the life cycles of plants, trees and insects in this hands-on program connecting the cycles of nature with life science in the garden. Students are challenged to sequence the stages of insect and plant cycles as well as identify the interdependence of plants and animals in a garden setting.

K-2: Students explore the life cycles of plants, trees and insects through books, models, and specimens.

3-5: Students search for living and non-living factors in an ecosystem and then observe plants and insects in different life stages.

6-8: Students find biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem and then make scientific observations of plants and insects and identify life stages.

Standard: K-8-LS4. Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

H2O

Earth Science in the Garden

Dive into the study of water and the water cycle in this in-depth earth science program. Get acquainted to the clever ways in which plants and people use water and record observations and conduct water-based experiments.

K-2: Students learn that water is essential to all life and is a valuable and limited resource. They explore different ways that plants collect and use water.

3-5: Students explore the water cycle and learn about water conservation and water pollution. They conduct a water experiment to find out if plants and soil can filter out water pollutants and create a pamphlet showing what they learned.

6-8: Students investigate watersheds and how to protect them through several water experiments. They create a brochure that can be used to teach others how to protect water.

Beyond Recycling

Sustainability in the Garden—Natural Resources

Learn the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy, with focus on solar energy. Participate in hands-on STEM activities throughout our Gardens and explore how to conserve at home, in school, and in the community.

K-2: Students are engaged with hands-on activities to discover the value of Earth's natural resources. They discover how Longwood is committed to sustainable practices and how they can make a difference at home by reducing, reusing, and recycling.

3-5: Students will explore both renewable and non-renewable resources, experiment with solar detectors, and discover the connection between photosynthesis and solar energy. They will uncover sustainable practices being used throughout Longwood's property and leave with a plan of action to become a better global citizen.

6-8: Students uncover Longwood's sustainable practices, including: solar energy, recycling, composting, and the reuse of water for irrigation. They will experiment with solar cells to recognize solar energy as a renewable resource and discover how everyday behaviors impact the Earth.

Natural Engineering

Design in the Garden

Explore nature's genius and discover unique ways of improving manmade materials and processes. Engineer an original design by imitating a structure and/or function that exists in the natural world. Be inspired to communicate innovations through imaginative drawings, vocabulary, and writing.

K-2: Students learn how to look differently while discovering the patterns and shapes of plants in our 1,077-acre display garden. Students are inspired to sketch, describe, and design a model to solve a problem.

3-5: Students examine the unique characteristics of plants to problem-solve. Students will mimic patterns and shapes found in nature to create, experiment, and compare design solutions.

6-8: Students problem solve using the 4.5-acre Conservatory as inspiration. Faced with a common community problem, students must search for and apply characteristics of plants to design a new playground. Students will sketch a diagram and write precise descriptions about their design.

Next Generation Science Standards

Life Science: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

K-LS1-1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals need to survive.

1-LS1-1 Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.

4-LS1-1 Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction.

Engineering Design

K-2-ETS1-1 Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

K-2-ETS1-2 Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.

3-5-ETS1-1 Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-5-ETS1-1 Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

MS-ETS1-1 Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

MS-ETS1-2 Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

K-8 programs are designed to include activities that integrate Common Core State Standards in Language Arts.